Improvement in telegraph signal-keys



F. B. PORTER.

Telegraph Key. No. 65,429. Patented June 4. 1867.

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FREDERICK B. PORTER, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

Letters Patent No. 65,429, dated June 4, 1867.

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TO ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERN: I

Be it known that I, FREDERICK B. PORTER, of Detroit, in the county of Wayne, and State of Michigan, have invented a new and useful Improvement on the Telegraph or Signal-Key used in completing and breaking the galvanic circuitin the transmission of dsepatches by the electric and electro-magnetic telegraphs; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the construction and operation of the same, reference being had to the accompanying" drawings, making a part of this specification, in which-- Figure 1 is a perspective view of the improved key; and

Figure 2. a transverse section of a portion thereof.-

In fig. 1, A A is the base of the key; B B, the lever; C, the non-conducting knob, pressed by the operator; D D, the fulcrum of the lever, resting in the ends of the regulating-screws E E, which are screwed through the ears F F, and are kept in place by the binding-nuts G G. H, the spring by which the lever is kept from contact with the point I when not pressed by the operator. J, the screw regulating said spring, and K its nut. L, the rod or strip of metal connected with one pole of the battery, and insulated from the portions of the key connected with the opposite pole. I, the point, or its equivalent, of platinum or other equivalent metal, in which the insulated rod or strip L terminates, and against which the lever is pressed in completing the circuit. M, the metallic switch, by which the circuit is broken when the key is to be used, and closed when it is not to be used; and NN the strip of metal connected with the insulated ,rod or strip L, with which the switch M is brought in contact when used for completing the circuit. All which parts, or their equivalents, together with mechanical appliances for connecting the key with the poles of the battery, are found in some form of the telegraph or signal-key now used.

In the same figure, O is an additional point, or its equivalent, for the completing of the circuit, of platinum or other equivalent metal, similar to the point I, and on the opposite side of the lever, connected with that point, or with the same pole of the battery, by the strip of metal NN, bentas represented, and the regulating screw P P, with its binding-nut Q, screwed through said strip, and to the end of which the point 0 is attached; and R is an additional spring, by which the lever is pressed from the point 0 toward the point I. S, the screw by which said spring is regulated, and 'I its nut.

In fig. 2,.a transverse section of the lever is represented, showing more fully than in the perspective drawing its position with reference to the points and O, and the connecting-strip of metal N N and screw I.

The fulcrum represented in the above-described drawings is of steel. The points I and O, and the corresponding points of the lever against which they are respectively pressed in completing the circuit, are of platinum; and the remaining portions of the key are of brass, except the insulator of the rod or strip L, and the knobs of the lever and switch, which are of gutta pcrcha.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will proceed to describe its construc. tion and operation.

I construct my key in any of the known forms, adding a second point of platinum, or equivalent metal, or the equivalent of such point, similar to the point or its equivalent against whichthe lever or its equivalent is pressed in completing the circuit in any known form of key, connected by a strip of brass, or its equivalent, with the point now used as aforesaid, or with the same pole of the battery as said point, and so placed with reference to the lever or its equivalent, that the lover or its equivalent may be made to touch this added point or its equivalent, by being pressed by the operator in the direction opposite to that in which it is pressed by him in order to touch the point or its equivalent, now used. But in order that the distance traversed by the lever or its equivalent in being moved from contact with the other may be lessened or increased at'thc pleasure of the operator, instead of attaching the additional point or its equivalent directly to the strip of metal by which it is connected with the point or its equivalent now used, or with the same pole of the battery I attach it to the end of a screw of brass or other equivalent metal, screwed through the said strip of metal, with a binding-nut for keeping it in place. And in order that the lever or its equivalent shall not touch said added point without being pressed-against it by the operator, and that on being pressed against it, it shall instantly recoil when the pressure is withdrawn, I employ, in addition to the spring or its equivalent now used to cause the recoil of the lever-from the point now used in completing the circuit, a spring so placed that it shall cause the recoil of the lever from said added point; and this spring I. connect with the lever by a regulating-screw and its out, as seen in fig. 1 of the accompanying drawing.

When the improved key is to be used, the added point t'ononmpleting the circuit, and the two springs, must be so adjusted that'the lover or its equivalent shall be about equidistant from said points, and shall touch neither of them without an impulsion of the operator, and shall recoil from either of them th instant such impulsion ceases. In transmitting the signal for any letter, numeral, or other character requiring more than one completing and breaking of the circuit, instead of completing the circuit solely by repeatedly pressing the lover or its equivalent against the same point, as is done in using the ordinary key, in general I press it alternately against both points, removing the hand from the knobrot' the lever or its equivalent, or relaxing its pressure at the close of each signal, so that the lever shall recpil to its position when at rest; and I commence each signal by pressing the arm of the lever to which the knob is attached, or the equivalent of the lever, downwards/or, in case the key is so placed or constructed, as it may be,-that the lever or its equivalent shall play horizontally, instead of vertically, I commence each signal with a similar pressure to the left. But where a slight pause occurs between the parts of any signal, as, for instance, in the case ot'thc Morse signals, and representing respectively the letters a, 1-, z, and the character it, I commence the portion of the signal following the pause with the downward motion also. The following is the manner in which I make the Morse signals for the alphabet, the downward and upward pressure of the hand being respectively indicated by the letters (Z and it above the part of each signal for which each is employed:

I grasp the edges or sides of the knob of the lever between the thumb and first or second finger. By the improved key, the mere closing and breaking of the circuit, without reference to signals, can be etfccted about twice as rapidly as by the ordinary key; and signals can be transmitted with much greaterrapidity, and with less fatigue to the hand of the operator, than by the ordinary key.

I do not claim the ordinary telegraph or signal-key, or any part thereot, in any of its forms; but what I do claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The additions to the ordinary telegraph or signal-l ey, in any of its forms, or to somuch thereof as is necessary to its use in the transmission of signals by the electric or electro-magnetie telegraph of- 1. The supplemental point or its equivalent, for the completion of the circuit 0, connected, arranged, and operating substantially in the manner and for the purpose described.

2. The additional spring, or its equivalent It, arranged and operating substantially in the manner and for the purpose described, in combination with the above.

FREDERICK B. PORTER.

Witnesses:

J'. S. Poa'rnn, E. A. PnnnY. 

